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Auction archive: Lot number 79

Massachusetts Civil War Letters Mentioning the Cushing Guard and a Mob Against a Southern Sympathizer, Lot of 4

Estimate
n. a.
Price realised:
US$204
Auction archive: Lot number 79

Massachusetts Civil War Letters Mentioning the Cushing Guard and a Mob Against a Southern Sympathizer, Lot of 4

Estimate
n. a.
Price realised:
US$204
Beschreibung:

Lot of 4. Within a few days of the surrender of Fort Sumter in South Carolina, two Massachusetts men from seemingly different backgrounds wrote to their friends and family about the exciting circumstances ensuing in Rowley and Newburyport, MA. Two out of four letters available in this lot demonstrate the tense atmosphere between Massachusetts citizens with divided loyalties. Edward, a resident of Byfield, wrote to his friend on April 21, 1861: Every one this way are right on their muscle people are excited beyond imagination, about the war. The Cushing Guards have left for Washington, & there is about 100 volunteers ready to go under the City Marshall from Newburyport a mob gave a Rowley man the privelege of swallowing his words or go into the Dock team & all for expressing southern sentiments. all that in the slow city of N.P. (Newburyport) There is some talk of Gerret Smith lecturing there this afternoon if he attempts there will be a row for they are down on abolition as on the nigger. I heard at meeting this morning that Joe Longfellow was going to raise the Palmetto flag, if he does there will undoubtably be trouble. I cannot vouch for the truth of Joe's flag. The Rowley Rifle Co. & about forty of the citizens mounted, were out on parade, escorted by the Rowley Brass Band yesterday, it being rather windy the show of calves were good, but some of them looked like old cattle. On April 28th S.M(? illegible) Caldwell writes to his brother about the same excitement in Newburyport and Rowley, It is all ware[sic] and excitement hear. The newburypot companey hav gorn Thar are two more ful companeys readey to go ar oher notic the third companey is all most ful thay meet at the town house to morrow night to drill. All so thair is a privet companey which meet at the Glen Mill...A scooner came in N. port (Newburyport) Friday with the Palmato flag flying Thay would not let her dock till she hould(?, illegible) it down & shode the stars and stripes she cleard(?, illegible) under the southern confederecy... Thair is another one off the bar with the same flag flying. N. port is fairley excited, the streets are full of loafers it is not safe fore eney one to advance eney sothern princapels Savage of Rowley made som remarks the other day on summers & swasey warfe . In five minutes thare was over two hundred on the arfe thay told him if he did not take it back he would go into the dock horse wagon and all he thought better of it & bact down. In Caldwell's second letter, written on October 6 from Rowley, he speaks very little of war news and only mentions the forming of company C. The last letter is unrelated to the previous letters. It was written towards the end of the war on June 23, 1864, penned by a schoolmaster named David to his friend Charley. David despised his position in a school he planned to quit after an argument with a headmistress: "I am well about to quit this "wolf's lair" in a little more than a week from today. Tis fast been growing insufferable & last Friday the storm broke at noon. The first appearance of the temprsh(?) was in the scowling blackness of the old she wolf's face - which soon revolved itself into accusing insulting words- I sat quietly for a moment intending to laugh at it all & so heap coals of fire on her head, but (?) patience can't stand lying & so I found myself on my feet with a very firm "stop!" coming rather emphatically from my lips... I ended the matter by quietly saying- "Mrs. H- pay me what you owe me & I will take the next train for Byfield." This cooled her much & she asked me to stay through this week..." Condition: Very good, typical folds in all letters and all are legible and clear.

Auction archive: Lot number 79
Auction:
Datum:
18 Feb 2016
Auction house:
Cowan's Auctions, Inc.
Este Ave 6270
Cincinnati OH 45232
United States
info@cowans.com
+1 (0)513 8711670
+1 (0)513 8718670
Beschreibung:

Lot of 4. Within a few days of the surrender of Fort Sumter in South Carolina, two Massachusetts men from seemingly different backgrounds wrote to their friends and family about the exciting circumstances ensuing in Rowley and Newburyport, MA. Two out of four letters available in this lot demonstrate the tense atmosphere between Massachusetts citizens with divided loyalties. Edward, a resident of Byfield, wrote to his friend on April 21, 1861: Every one this way are right on their muscle people are excited beyond imagination, about the war. The Cushing Guards have left for Washington, & there is about 100 volunteers ready to go under the City Marshall from Newburyport a mob gave a Rowley man the privelege of swallowing his words or go into the Dock team & all for expressing southern sentiments. all that in the slow city of N.P. (Newburyport) There is some talk of Gerret Smith lecturing there this afternoon if he attempts there will be a row for they are down on abolition as on the nigger. I heard at meeting this morning that Joe Longfellow was going to raise the Palmetto flag, if he does there will undoubtably be trouble. I cannot vouch for the truth of Joe's flag. The Rowley Rifle Co. & about forty of the citizens mounted, were out on parade, escorted by the Rowley Brass Band yesterday, it being rather windy the show of calves were good, but some of them looked like old cattle. On April 28th S.M(? illegible) Caldwell writes to his brother about the same excitement in Newburyport and Rowley, It is all ware[sic] and excitement hear. The newburypot companey hav gorn Thar are two more ful companeys readey to go ar oher notic the third companey is all most ful thay meet at the town house to morrow night to drill. All so thair is a privet companey which meet at the Glen Mill...A scooner came in N. port (Newburyport) Friday with the Palmato flag flying Thay would not let her dock till she hould(?, illegible) it down & shode the stars and stripes she cleard(?, illegible) under the southern confederecy... Thair is another one off the bar with the same flag flying. N. port is fairley excited, the streets are full of loafers it is not safe fore eney one to advance eney sothern princapels Savage of Rowley made som remarks the other day on summers & swasey warfe . In five minutes thare was over two hundred on the arfe thay told him if he did not take it back he would go into the dock horse wagon and all he thought better of it & bact down. In Caldwell's second letter, written on October 6 from Rowley, he speaks very little of war news and only mentions the forming of company C. The last letter is unrelated to the previous letters. It was written towards the end of the war on June 23, 1864, penned by a schoolmaster named David to his friend Charley. David despised his position in a school he planned to quit after an argument with a headmistress: "I am well about to quit this "wolf's lair" in a little more than a week from today. Tis fast been growing insufferable & last Friday the storm broke at noon. The first appearance of the temprsh(?) was in the scowling blackness of the old she wolf's face - which soon revolved itself into accusing insulting words- I sat quietly for a moment intending to laugh at it all & so heap coals of fire on her head, but (?) patience can't stand lying & so I found myself on my feet with a very firm "stop!" coming rather emphatically from my lips... I ended the matter by quietly saying- "Mrs. H- pay me what you owe me & I will take the next train for Byfield." This cooled her much & she asked me to stay through this week..." Condition: Very good, typical folds in all letters and all are legible and clear.

Auction archive: Lot number 79
Auction:
Datum:
18 Feb 2016
Auction house:
Cowan's Auctions, Inc.
Este Ave 6270
Cincinnati OH 45232
United States
info@cowans.com
+1 (0)513 8711670
+1 (0)513 8718670
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